Florida Medical Marijuana Recommendations for Pediatric Patients

Despite its controversial nature, the use of medical marijuana and cannabis-derived medicine is becoming more popular each and every day. In just three years Florida alone has over 250,000 patients with active identification cards in its state medical marijuana program. [1] With multiple qualifying conditions approved for a recommendation, Floridians of all ages are getting phenomenal symptom relief, including adolescents.
While obtaining your own medical marijuana recommendation might seem intimidating, one can only imagine the anxiety a person must feel when considering this natural alternative for their child. Luckily, our compassionate team at DocMJ Doctors Marijuana have assisted parents and their children in making the pediatric medical marijuana process as hassle-free as possible.
Who Qualifies for Medical Marijuana in Florida?
As of 2016, Floridians diagnosed with one of the following “debilitating medical conditions” are eligible for a medical marijuana recommendation under the Florida Medical Marijuana Initiative, Amendment 2 [2]:
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV/AIDS
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Crohn’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Medical conditions of the same kind or class as or comparable to others listed
- A terminal condition diagnosed by a physician other than the qualified physician issuing the physician certification.
- Chronic nonmalignant pain caused by a qualifying medical condition and persists beyond the usual course of that qualifying medical condition.
Is Medical Marijuana safe for my child?
The debate about the use of medical marijuana products in pediatric patients continues to occur because of the lack of completed, well-developed, controlled clinical trials. Since marijuana is still a Schedule 1 Substance under the federal Controlled Substance Act (CSA) it is not recognized to have medical use, which as a result, has hindered scientific research into its clinical applications. While there have been case studies done and anecdotal reported data collected on pediatric conditions, there is nowhere near as much evidence in comparison to adult marijuana use.
A lot of the misconceptions about medical marijuana are because of the negative stigma behind the word “marijuana” and its psychoactive effects. While delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is responsible for producing these effects, the cannabis plant contains other cannabinoids that do not, such as cannabidiol (CBD). CBD has shown to be effective in alleviating symptoms for a lot of medical conditions without causing any psychoactivity, so it is more widely accepted for pediatric use. [3]
How to Obtain Medical Marijuana for a Pediatric Patient
If you or a loved one are interested in getting your child symptom relief with medical marijuana, there are multiple physicians at DocMJ Doctors Marijuana who are actively seeing pediatric patients. [4]
In order for a patient under the age of 18 to qualify for their medical marijuana recommendation in the state of Florida, they must complete the following process:
- The child must have a recorded diagnosis of one of the state qualifying conditions.
- Obtain a second opinion letter by a D.O or M.D that has reviewed the child’s medical records and concluded that the benefits of using medical marijuana for symptom relief outweighs the risk.
- Book an appointment with a state-certified medical marijuana physician.
- After approval, the parent must submit an application to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use for both the child and the parent to become a caregiver.
Per state legislation, children cannot legally purchase medical marijuana from a licensed Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC); therefore, once a child completes their visit with a certified recommending physician, a parent or guardian must apply for Caregiver status through the Florida Department of Health. A registered caregiver is allowed to purchase and administer products that fall under the physician’s recommendation for the child. Children, unless terminally ill, cannot legally have access to smokable forms of marijuana either. [5]
If you are ready to give your child the relief they deserve and want to talk to a Medical Marijuana Doctor in Florida, take the first step and book an appointment with one of the knowledgeable and caring state-certified physicians at DocMJ.
[1] https://s27415.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/ommu_updates/2019/090619-OMMU-Update.pdf
[2] https://knowthefactsmmj.com/patients/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26103030/
[4] https://docmj.com/medical-cannabis-and-pediatric-patients/

Dr. Rothman is a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He has received multiple special awards and recognitions, including Physician of the Year, from the Pinellas County Medical Association (2014 – 2015) and the President’s Service Award from the Pinellas County Medical Society.
He attended medical school at State University of New York Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York, where he also completed his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency. In addition to practicing medicine, Dr. Rothman’s professional career includes being an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida and Clinical Instructor at the University of Tampa’s College of Nursing.
Dr. Rothman received his Florida Medical Marijuana Physicians Certification in 2016 and was one of the first recommending physicians through DocMJ in the state and is loved by many of those early patients today.